Former President John Dramani Mahama is only using the election petition hearing at the Supreme Court to sustain his interest in running as presidential candidate again in the 2024 elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Spokesperson of lawyers of the 2nd respondent in the case, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

He said claims by spokespersons of the NDC that they filed the case at the apex court on behalf of Ghanaians and also in defense of the constitution, cannot be true.

Speaking to journalists in Accra on Tuesday, February 16 after the court refused the petitioner the request to reopen his case, the Ofaose Ayirebi lawmaker said “Why are NDC supporters telling them they should withdraw the case? Because they are observing in their very eyes as this is televised on TV that the petitioner and their lawyers are not making a convincing case before the court.

“What they told them is not true. And that is why [they were] asking the court to reopen their case that they can put a party on the other side in the box and compel her to testify to make their case.”

He added “It is becoming clear right before your very eyes that this is the reason for which their own supporters are telling them that it is about time that they abandon their case.

“I want to conclude on this argument that they are doing this for the people of Ghana and they are doing this in defense of the constitution."

“We vehemently disagree. This so called petition before the court is not for the people of Ghana or in defense of the constitution, it is for the political interest of Mr John Dramani Mahama who desires this media spectacle to sustain his brand equity and run again unopposed on the NDC in 2024, let’s be honest about it. It is not in defense of any constitution because if it was, the constitution says our legal system is adversarial and therefore you can’t compel a party in the box."

“Why will you claim you are defending the constitution and asking the Supreme Court to turn the constitution upside down.”